03.24.25

Juno UV auroral imaging combined with Juno’s particle measurements are showing that Ganymede’s O2 atmosphere is an order of magnitude more copious than expected

Ganymede’s magnetosphere generates its own aurora, and observations by Juno of both the aurora and charged particles near Ganymede indicate a much greater amount of Oxygen molecules (O2) are present in the atmosphere than models suggest.

Graphic: Juno’s UV auroral imaging and in-situ particle measurements indicate Ganymede’s O2 atmosphere is denser than previously thought.

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Credit : Waite, J. H., Jr., et al. (2024), Magnetospheric-ionospheric-atmospheric implications from the Juno flyby of Ganymede, JGR: Planets, 129, e2023JE007859, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JE007859